Collapsible work sign



March 5, 1957 w. JUMP COLLAPSIBLE WORK SIGN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug.50, 1954 INVENTOR. WILLIAM L. JUMP HIS ATTORNEY March 5, 1957 w. L. JUMP2,783,566

COLLAPSIBLE WORK SIGN Filed Aug. 50, 1954 2 sheets'sheet 2 WILLIAM L.JUMP INVENTOR.

HIS ATTORNEY United States Patent 6 l This invention relates to acollapsible work sign and particularly to such a device which is adaptedto be used on roads and highways as a warning to traffic for the safetyof passing vehicles and persons doing maintenance work.

-It is an object of my invention to provide such a sign which is animprovement over conventional and prior signs in several ways. First, mysign collapses completely to a size which is substantially the same inlength a'n'cl width as the signboard itself, with a thickness of onlyone inch. Second, my sign when collapsed can be stored or carried flat,so that a large number of signs can be stored or carried in a smallspace. Third, my sign is so constructed that the painted or legend sideof the signboard is protected by the framework when the sign iscollapsed. Fourth, my sign cannot be sucked or blown over by passingvehicles, since wind causes it to assume a position having greaterstability and in which the wind passes over the sign. Fifth, my signneeds no additional weights or holding devices of any kind.

It is also among the objects of my invention to provide a sign of theclass described which is simple and economical to manufacture and whichis capable of widespread use.

My invention also comprises such other objects, advantages andcapabilities as will later more fully appear and which are inherentlypossessed by my invention.

While I have shown in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodimentof my invention, it should be understood that the same is susceptible ofmodification and change without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of my sign in use;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of the same;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of my sign in collapsed position;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of myback framemember;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the latch portion on the sideof my sign;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of my sign in the position which itassumes when subjected to wind pressure.

A preferred embodiment which has been selected to illustrate myinvention comprises a substantially rectangular signboard 10, which ispreferably formed of metal and has a legend painted on one side thereof.The entire legend side of signboard It) is customarily painted inorderto increase its effectiveness in attracting the attention of drivers.

The signboard 10 is attached adjacent its side edges to a pair ofcentrally disposed L-shaped flanges 11 and 12 by means of screws 13 orother suitable fastening means. One side 11a and 12a of said flangesextends behind signboard 10 to receive screws 13, while the other side11b and 12b extends at a right angle forwardly from the edges ofsignboard 14). A pair of pivots 14 and 15 2,783,556 ?atentecl .Mar. 5,1957 extend through sides 11b and 12b to. pivotally attach signboard 10to the upwardly extending arms 16 and 17 of a U-shaped front framemember18. Pivots 14 and 15 may be rivets, bolts or other suitablemounting devices and are attached adjacent the upper portion of arms 16and 17. e

The bottom of front frame member 18 comprises a front iron bar 19, whichis approximately one inch thick and several inches wide. It extendstransversely between arms 16 and 17 adjacent the bottom thereof. Arms 16and 17 are substantially square in cross section.

The top ends of arms 1'6 and 17' are pivotally attached by a pair ofbolts 20 and 21 to the top ends of the side pieces 22 and 23 of aU-shaped back frame member 24. Side pieces 22 and 23 are L-shaped incross section, with one side 2211 and: 23a extending along the sides ofarms 16 and 17 and the otherside 2217 and 23b extending inwardly towardssignboard 10. The bottom of back frame member 24' comprises a back ironbar 25 which is substantially the same size as front iron bar 19. Itextends transversely between the inner edges of inwardly extending side22b and 23b.

It should be noted that the ends of back iron bar 25 do not extend allthe way to sides 22a and 23a. Instead they stop short to provide an openspace which is slightly wider than arms 16 and 17 of front frame member18.

A pair of latches 26 and 27 are pivotally mounted at one end on bolts 20and 21. Latches 26 and 27 are provided adjacent their opposite free endswith U-shaped slots 28 and 29, which are adapted to removably fit over apair of pins 30 and 31, which project outwardly from sides 11a and 12aof flanges '11 and 12.

A warning flag holder is provided adjacent the upper lefthand corner ofsignboard 10. It comprises a channel member 32, which is pivotallyattached to signboard :10 by a bolt and wing nut 33. A short'tubel3'4 isheld within channel member 32 and is adapted to receive the bottotiiof awarning flagi In. use,.-wing nut 33 'is loosened and channel member 32.andctube- 34 pivoted to vertical position, in which they are held by thetightening of wing nut 33. If the flag holder is not 'used or if thesign is collapsed, channel member 32 and. tube 34 may be pivoted andheld in a. position parallel to the top'of sign board 10.

'In use, my sign assumes the position shown in Fig. l of the drawings.The front frame member 18 and back frame member 24 form a triangle with,the ground. Signboard It extends vertically, with its sides held bypivots 14 and 15 and latches 26 and 27.

To collapse my sign, latches 26 and 27 are lifted upwardly at their freeends to free pins 30 and 31 from slots 28 and 29. Signboard 10 is thenfree to be rotated on pivots 14 and 15. The topofsignboardlllis movedforwardly and downwardly toward front"v iron bar 19 until its legendside contactsfront iron bar 19. Front frame member 18 and back framemember 24 are movedtoward each other, pivoting on' bolts .20 and 21until arms 16 and 17 lie within side pieces 22 and 23. Arms 16 and 1-7fit in the space between the ends of back iron .bar 25 and. sides 22aand 23a.

Back iron bar 25 is disposed farther from the bottom than from iron bar19 by slightly more than the widthof front iron bar 19, so that the barsare positioned adjacent to each other .whenthe sign is in collapsedposition. The flag holder extends along the top of signboard 10 and fitsbetween the bottom edge of front iron bar 19 and the bottom ends of arms16 and 17.

It should be noted that my sign thus collapses to a size which issubstantially equal in length and width to that of the signboard itself,and which is only one inch thick, that being the width of sides 22a and23a. In collapsed form, the front iron bar 19 and back iron 'bar 25extend across the legend side of signboard 10 and sides 22a and 23aextend along its edges to protect the paint for damage.

Front iron bar 19 and back iron bar 25 are extremely heavy and provide aconsiderable amount of weight closely adjacent to the ground to give thesign an extremely low center of gravity, so that no additional weightsare neces sary. Signboard 10 may be provided with small holes to permitair to pass therethrough.

If my sign is struck by wind from a passing vehicle, it cannot be suckedor blown over. Instead of tipping the sign, wind pressure on the legendside of sign board 10 will cause rearwardly directed pressure to beexerted through latches 26 and 27 on bolts 20 and 21. It will also causeforwardly directed pressure to be exerted on pivots 14 and 15 by thebottom of signboard 10. Front frame member 18 and back frame member 24are spread farther apart until the ends of arms 16 and 17 bear againstsides 22b and 23b. This tilts signboard 10 in a rearward direction sothat wind can more easily pass over it.

My sign thus assumes the position shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, inwhich the center of gravity is even lower, the supporting frames arefarther apart and the signboard is tilted to pass the wind. It is almostimpossible for the sign to be blown over from such a position, but thelegend on slgnboard 10 will still be legible to traffic and the signwill continue to serve its purpose.

When my sign is in collapsed position, latches 26 and 27 pivot to lieparallel to the inside of arms 16 and 17.

The top ends of arms 16 and 17 are square at their front portions androunded toward their rear portions. This permits movement of arms 16 and17 with respect to side pieces 22 and 23 from the position shown in Fig.2 of the drawings to that shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. Such movementis resisted by friction between the rounded portions of the ends andsides 22b and 23b. When the sign reaches the position shown in Fig. 6,the square portion of the ends bears against sides 22b and 23b andprevents any further movement of arms 16 and 17 with respect to sidepieces 22 and 23. 1

I claim:

1..A collapsible sign comprising a substantially rectangular sign board,a pair of substantially U-shaped frame members, each of said framemembers having a heavy iron bar extending transversely across the lowerportion thereof, the length and width of each of said frame membersbeing substantially equal to that of said sign board, said frame membersbeing pivotally attached to each other at their top ends, the lowerportion of said'sign board being pivotally attached to one of said framemembers adjacent the upper portion thereof, the distance betweensaidpoint of attachment and the bottom of said sign being substantiallyequal to the distance from said point of attachment to the attachedupper ends of said frame members, a latch pivotally attached at one endadjacent to the attached upper ends of said frame members, latchreceiving means carried by said sign board adjacent the mid-portionthereof, said latch receiving means being adapted to engage the oppositeend of said latch, said sign adapted to be pivoted to a flat collapsedposition wherein said frame members and sign board are alignedsubstantially parallel to each other to form a fiat collapsed unitsubstantially equal in length and width to said sign board, said signadapted to be pivoted to an open position wherein said frame membersform an inverted V, said sign board being held in vertical positionalong the line of its attachment to said frame members, said latch beingattached to said latch receiving means and extending horizontally fromthe midportion of said sign board to the point of attachment of saidframe members to provide a second spaced support for said sign board.

2. The subject matter of claim 1, said frame members being pivotable toa third position wherein the bottoms of said frame members are spacedfarther apart from each other, said sign board adapted upon windpressure being exerted thereon to tip rearwardly and exert pressure tomove said frame members to said position to prevent said sign board frombeing blown over.

3. A collapsible sign comprising a substantially rectangular sign board,a pair of frame members, each of said frame members having a heavyportion adjacent the lower part thereof, the length and width of each ofsaid frame members being substantially equal to that of said sign board,said frame members being pivotally attached to each other at their topends, the lower portion of said sign board being pivotally attached toone of said frame members adjacent the upper portion thereof, thedistance between said point of attachment and the bottom of said signbeing substantially equal to the distance between said point ofattachment and the attached upper ends of said frame members, a supportpivotally attached at one end thereof adjacent the attached upper endsof said frame members, said sign adapted to be pivoted to a flatcollapsed position wherein said frame members and sign board aredisposed substantially parallel to each other to form a flat collapsedunit substantially equal in length and width to said sign board, saidsign adapted to be pivoted to an open position wherein said framemembers form an inverted V, said sign board being held in verticalposition along the line of its attachment to said frame members, theopposite end of said support being attached to said sign board andextending horizontally from the mid-portion of said sign board to thepoint of attachment of said frame members to provide a second spacedsupport for said sign board.

4. A collapsible sign comprising a substantially rectangular sign board,a pair of frame members, each of said frame members having a heavyportion adjacent the lower part thereof, the length and width of each ofsaid frame membersbeing substantially equal to that of said sign board,said frame members being pivotally attached to each other at their topends, the lower portion of said sign board being pivotally attached toone of said frame members adjacent the upper portion thereof asubstantial distance from the bottom of said sign board and the top ofsaid frame member, and a support member pivotally attached at one endthereof to at least one of saidframe members adjacent the attached upperends of said frame members, said sign adapted to be pivoted to a fiatcollapsed position wherein said frame members and sign board aredisposed substantially parallel to each other to form a flat collapsedunit substantially equal in length and width to said sign board, saidsign adapted to be pivoted to an open position wherein said framemembers form an inverted V, said sign board being held in uprightposition, the opposite end of said support member being attached to saidsign board to provide a second spaced support for said sign board.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSJoerger et a1, Dec. 4, 1934

